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Android saw a 98 percent drop in apps asking for call and text data

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The internet pioneer also pointed to “improved vetting mechanisms” that stopped 790,000 policy-breaking apps from reaching the Play Store, and a May 2019 policy that asked developers to say whether or not apps were targeted at kids. Malware appeared to have ben kept at bay, too, with Google Play Protect blocking over 1.9 billion instances of non-Play Store malware.

As in the past, Google is painting a somewhat rosy picture. Malware remained a problem on Android in 2019, including rogue code delivered through compromised Play Store apps. It may also be difficult to completely stop permissions abuse even with Android 10 providing more control. Even so, this suggests that developers are getting better at respecting your privacy and reducing the amount of data they collect.

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E3 2020 registration opens February 15 at 11AM ET

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Be sure to temper your expectations accordingly. It’s no secret that Sony won’t be there, for instance. While you may see PlayStation 5 games, the odds aren’t great of seeing first-party titles or any big hardware news. Microsoft is expected to use E3 for a splashy Xbox Series X preview, but you probably won’t get into the press conference. And Nintendo hasn’t held a press conference at the show for years. Although that’s not a problem if you want to try upcoming Switch titles on the E3 floor, you won’t catch earth-shattering news any earlier than the folks at home.

A staple of the show, Geoff Keighley, added that he wouldn’t produce the E3 Coliseum and otherwise participate in E3 this year. He didn’t share specific reasons, but said there were a “ton of factors” that led him to reconsider based on what he knows about the expo.

As in the past, the focus is more likely to be on developers, with studios like Bethesda, Capcom, Square Enix and Take-Two already having committed to making an appearance. The future consoles could make the show more interesting — they just shouldn’t be the only reason you make a pilgrimage to downtown LA this spring.



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Samsung makes too damn many phones

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At the same time, Samsung broke tradition. Instead of phasing out last year’s flagships, it’s cutting the prices for the S10s, so they now start at $599 instead of $899.99. That means you can continue to buy the S10e, S10 and S10+, which are still great phones.

In fact, the company’s Senior Manager of Smartphone Product Strategy, Caleb Slavin, told Engadget, “The S10 is going to be our new entry point into the flagship lineup.” He added, “It’s a great way for a consumer to get a premium device at an accessible price point.”

Let’s not forget though: Samsung also unveiled a pair of so-called Lite phones at CES. The S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite are high-powered smartphones at affordable prices, with small compromises on cameras and chipsets. They’re not available in the US yet, but in the right regions, this means you have two more phones to choose from.

Samsung Galaxy Fold

Then there’s the Galaxy Fold, which may or may not be going away depending on what carriers decide to do. Not to mention the Note 10 and Note 10+.

So let’s recap. Here are all the Galaxy phones you can buy from Samsung (*deep breath*). The S10e, S10, S10+, S20, S20+, S20 Ultra, Note 10, Note 10+, Galaxy Fold, Z Flip, Note 10 Lite and S10 Lite. But wait! There’s also the A series, which is a midrange version of the S series and tends to get features from the flagship line about a year later. That’s at least 13 phones in total. And we’re not counting the S10 5G or limited editions like the Thom Browne Z Flip.

This is all part of Samsung’s smartphone strategy. Slavin said, “We wanted to have an option in our portfolio for every consumer.” That’s nice, but what does the decision-making process look like if you’re shopping for a Samsung phone? Let’s work it out together.

Slavin said your first criteria is probably going to be price. Fair point. If your budget is below $1,000, you’re definitely not going to get a foldable flagship or one of the S20s or Notes. In that case, your next factor is likely screen size. Here’s where it all gets more confusing.

Samsung Galaxy S10+

The S10 and S10+ have 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch panels, respectively, while the S10 Lite and Note 10 Lite both sport 6.7-inch panels. If you want a stylus in this price range, you’ll likely pick the Note 10 Lite. Those who prefer a smaller phone will probably choose the S10. Between the S10+ and S10 Lite, it appears to boil down to price, camera setup and availability. If you’re looking to save even more money, the A series will usually cost even less with an eligible trade-in or carrier subsidy — you’ll just have to live with less-powerful processors and cameras.

Things don’t get easier if you have more money to spare either. Which high-end handset should you spring for if you’re not in the market for a folding screen? Stylus fans are likely to stay with the Note while those more interested in ultra-sharp cameras will find a suitable option in the S20 series.

Whew. The myriad options and forks in the road made that decision-making process feel far more overwhelming than necessary. As someone who’s often called on to give smartphone-buying advice, I can already imagine how my conversations with Samsung shoppers will go:

“You want to buy a Samsung phone? How much time and money do you have? Not much of either? Just go buy a Pixel.”

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We’re all kinda fine with DRM now

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In heated Twitter threads and editorials about the newest and most controversial gaming platforms around, the DRM-free bit of NVIDIA’s news seemed to barely register with fans. A feature that would’ve made headlines in 2010 is often relegated to a single sentence at the base of the inverted pyramid, or not mentioned at all.

That’s because, over time, we got used to DRM. Every major gaming platform today relies on DRM, with companies like Valve, Epic Games, Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo owning players’ libraries in some form. In a digital-first ecosystem, it’s just easier this way.

BioShock

Players weren’t so agreeable when it came to SecuROM, the granddaddy of DRM. Publishers started using the anti-piracy software in earnest around 2007, when physical discs and midnight GameStop release parties were all the rage. SecuROM was a flashpoint of controversy particularly in the launches of BioShock, Mass Effect and Spore, limiting the number of times these titles could be installed and forcing players to routinely connect to the internet for authentication. By 2010, Ubisoft was pushing always-on DRM for games including Assassin’s Creed 2 and Splinter-Cell: Conviction, requiring players to maintain a constant internet connection, even for offline play. Ubisoft’s approach to DRM routinely broke the games it was built to protect and the response from players was unanimously negative.

Players called SecuROM punitive and hostile, and wondered why they needed an internet connection to play these games offline. EA, 2K, Ubisoft and other publishers tweaked their anti-piracy systems in response to mobs of criticism. Spore publisher EA faced a class-action lawsuit over the game’s SecuROM features.

Meanwhile, Valve was building out Steam. The storefront was initially designed to streamline the patch process for games like Counter-Strike, and also make it easier for Valve to implement anti-piracy and anti-cheat measures. Steam was built to be a DRM machine.

Half-Life 2

Valve made Steam a requirement in 2004 with the launch of Half-Life 2 — anyone who wanted to play the game, even those with physical copies, had to launch the client first. Players balked at the move, but Half-Life 2 had enough hype to sustain this plan, and Steam continued to grow. As Valve added dozens and then thousands of third-party games to its store over the years, the company implemented features like offline play and Family Sharing to assuage fans that had been burned by bad DRM practices.

Valve is too big to fail.

More importantly, Steam made buying games easy. Instead of picking up discs and typing out long CD keys, Steam offered one-click access to a massive lineup of new releases and old classics. Players bought into this online-first system entirely, and today, Steam has 1 billion registered users and 90 million monthly active players. Despite determined competitors like GOG (a longstanding DRM-free gaming hub) and the Epic Games Store, it’s the undisputed leader in digital distribution.

Steam still runs on DRM. Even in offline mode, players still need to connect with the Steam client to launch any of their games. As it stands, if Steam shut down today, everyone’s libraries would become instantly unplayable.

Generally, users are OK with this threat — after all, it’s Valve. It’s the company that made DRM palatable in the 2000s. It’s the multibillion-dollar corporation led by benevolent nerd king Gabe Newell. It’s the studio behind Half-Life, Portal, Dota 2, Left 4 Dead, Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike. Valve is too big to fail.

As someone who entered college at the height of the Great Recession, that phrase still sends shivers down my spine.

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Microsoft’s Project xCloud preview extends to iOS devices

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With this being a TestFlight beta, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. The first is that the preview is limited to 10,000 individuals, so there’s a good chance you won’t be able to check out the app even if you register right away. At the moment, the beta is also only available in the US, UK and Canada. Likewise, should you get in, you’ll likely get cycled out at some point so that Microsoft can test the app on a variety of different devices.

Due to an App Store policy, Microsoft says the beta will begin with a single game, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, and Xbox console streaming isn’t included at the moment. If none of those limitations sound like a reason to skip the beta, you can find full instructions on how to join in on the company’s website.

While a full launch is likely still months away, Project xCloud is slowly turning into a solid service. Compared to Google Stadia, Microsoft has been smart about not overpromising on features like 4K output and has instead worked to make the platform work as best as it can at 720p first.

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‘Harriet’ star Cynthia Erivo’s sci-fi podcast is becoming a movie

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Blank is writing and directing the movie.

There’s no mention of when Carrier might arrive, or whether it’s destined for theaters or streaming services. Still, it could go a long way toward raising the profile of podcasts if it’s successful. While podcasts are big deals in their own right, a movie with a famous name at its heart could draw in newcomers.

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‘Prince of Persia’ is coming back as a VR escape room

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The escape room will be available this spring in over 300 escape rooms around the world, including in many parts of Europe and North America.

This isn’t Ubisoft’s first escape room (it already has Escape the Lost Pyramid and Beyond Medusa’s Gate), but it is the first that isn’t based on an Assassin’s Creed title. It also suggests that Prince of Persia still has a place at the game developer in 2020 beyond the occasional mobile app, even if this probably doesn’t hint at a full-fledged revival.

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Hyundai will make cheap EVs based on Canoo’s subscription pods

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The partnership focuses on Canoo’s (relatively) unique skateboard design, which utilizes a pared-back approach to EV building. Each component serves multiple purposes, meaning the platform is smaller and lighter than traditional EV platforms, which means lower prices. The skateboard base is a self-contained unit that can be paired with any cabin design, although the partnership will use it for upcoming Hyundai and Kia models.

This streamlined “mix and match” approach could be a real boon for the EV industry, especially when cost remains a big barrier to adoption. No doubt it’ll also serve Hyundai’s sustainability goals well, too — the company wants eco-friendly vehicles to comprise 25 percent of its total sales by 2025. However, EVs and their infrastructure is still a largely experimental area, and there are numerous tie-ups that haven’t yet come to fruition. This partnership does, however, illustrate possibilities for the industry.

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‘Apollo 13’ returns to theaters for three days in April

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These re-releases are often marketing ploys, but it’s fun to be able to see classic movies on the big screen, so it’s hard to complain. Apollo 13 is notable for the extent to which the cast and crew went in order to accurately recreate the mission. While some elements — like the line, “Houston, we have a problem,” or fights between crew members — were embellished or invented, the majority of the film is historically accurate. Several shots were even filmed aboard a special aircraft to recreate the effects of reduced gravity.

The film is also a reminder of the dangers of spaceflight. NASA plans to return to the moon starting in 2024. While aerospace technology has advanced over the decades, flying to the moon is anything but safe — NASA and its astronauts are sure to face the dangers of explosive rocket fuel, the cold vacuum of space and glitches in the technology used aboard their spacecrafts.

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MWC 2020 is cancelled due to coronavirus concerns

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According to Bloomberg, the GSMA said the coronavirus outbreak has made it “impossible” to host the event as planned.

Last year, more than 100,000 people attended MWC. Many of those individuals were either based in China or worked for Chinese companies. The coronavirus has hit China hardest of all. As of this week, the number of confirmed cases increased to over 42,000, and more than 1,000 people diagnosed with the virus in China have died.

The announcement comes after several large companies, including Amazon, LG, Sony and NVIDIA, said they plan to skip the conference to keep their employees safe from the virus. Before today’s cancellation, a CNET report said Samsung had planned to scale back its presence at the event as well.

In most cases, we likely won’t have to wait long to see whatever devices those companies had planned to announce at MWC. Sony, for instance, said it would unveil its newest phones on YouTube. LG, meanwhile, plans to hold separate events in the “near future” to reveal its first batch of handsets for 2020.



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